Easy Sambar Sadam, Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal | Navaratri Recipes | Step by Step Recipe

Today's Navaratri Pooja's Special Dishes on Day 3 were - Simple Sambar Sadam & Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal.

For the third day of the Navaratri Pooja, the neivedyam was decided as Sakkarai Pongal and Sambar Sadam. Since today happens to be Friday, it was also told making Sakkarai Pongal is important. So I decided to make Sambar Sadam and Sakkarai Pongal using new recipes and ingredients

I went shopping yesterday and found Bansi Rava, Sambar Goduma Rava and Broken Wheat. I know the names are so confusing and I have myself used it interchanging. Will put up the pictures and find out about them. Meanwhile I took the rava that was called Bansi Rava and made Sakkara Pongal with it. Since I was looking at a simpler Sambar Sadam, this was the simplest one can get at. Sambar Sadam I made today can't exactly be called Bisi Bele Bath as it didn't have all the spices added to it, but can be called a version of it..:)

Konda's exams got over today and she has been so happy. For all the hue and cry she was making about not having holidays, we came to know that the school closes for a week and she has been so trilled over it. Well I can imagine how the next week is going to be.

Sambar Sadam / Sambar Rice | Easy Bisi Bele Bath

Rice - 1 cup

Toor Dal - 1/2 cup

Vegetables - Carrot, Beans, Drumstick - 2 cups

Tomatoes - 2 big

Sambar powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp (the powder is not very spicy)

Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Tamarind pulp - 1 tsp

Hing/ Asafetida -  a ping

For Seasoning

Oil - 1 tsp

Ghee - 2 tsp

Onions - 1/2 medium

Garlic - 2 cloves

Mustard seeds, Urad dal, Jeera, Methi Mix - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves few

Dry Red Chilies - 2

Cashew nuts

Spice Powder - 2 tsp (See the recipe below)

For Spice Powder:

Bengal Gram - 2 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Methi - few

Dry Red Chilies - 3

Copra - 1 tsp (opt)

Dry roast the above and grind to a semi smooth powder. This can be stored for couple of days and used in different recipes.

How to make the Sambar Sadam:

Wash and soak the rice for 15 - 20 mins.

Wash and pressure cook the toor dal with 1 & 1/2 cups along with few drops of oil, hing and turmeric for 3 -4 whistles till it is well cooked. Wait for the pressure to fall.

Then add the drained rice, 3 cups water. tamarind pulp, chopped tomatoes and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Wash and chop the vegetables. Microwave for 10 mins or else cook separately.

Once the pressure is off, add the vegetables along with the water, spice powder. If required pressure cook for 1 whistle. Else add simmer for 5 mins.

Heat another pan with oil, ghee, add the seasoning ingredients, when mustard pops, add the onions, saute till brown.

Pour this tempering over the cooked rice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal | Chakkara Pongal with Bansi Rava

Step by Step Picture Recipe

Ingredients Needed:

Bansi Rava - 1/2 cup

Yellow moong dal - fistful

Bengal Gram 2 tsp

Jaggary - 3/4 cup (can decrease the amount if you feel it will be more sweet)

Ghee - 2 tsp

Cashew nuts and Raisins

How to make Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal:

Wash and soak the Rava along with Yellow Moong dal, Bengal Gram for 10 mins.

Then pressure cook with 1 cup water. Add more if you want it loose. Pressure cook for 2 -3 whistles.

In a pan, melt jaggary with little water, remove impurities if required. Pour this on the cooked rava and mix well.

Heat ghee and roast the nuts and add to the pongal.

The amount of water you add depends on the consistency of the cooked rava, if required add more so that it tends to be loose and easy to eat.

Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal was delicious. Amma told me that she liked it a lot and wanted to know how I made, well that surely made my day.

Hope you all had a wonderful day.

Nellikai Sadam, Rajma Sundal | Navaratri Sundal Recipes | Navaratri Recipes

For the Navaratri Special Dishes on day 2,  I decided to make Nelikai Sadam and Rajma Sundal (South Indian Style). The Neivedyam to be made today was to be sour. Normally lemon Rice is prepared, so seeing that I had Amla at home, I decided to make that instead.

Not only is amla very healthy, this version gets done very quickly. I have already blogged another version of Usirikai Annam. Today's method is much simpler to make for a quick neivedyam.

Coming to the sundal part, I got couple of varieties in Rajma for making the sundals. Today's Sundal is made with Spotted White Rajma.

It's been pretty hot the past couple of days, and without a warning it poured literally this morning. So much downpour that the roads got blocked and so much traffic everywhere. Konda had her exams today and her father had to drop her, wading through the rain. Seeing that it was raining so heavily, Peddu and Chinnu were so happy. Before I could even think about it, they got drenched and had to be warned. But then I know how much fun it is.

I really had to get the neivedyam ready much faster as I didn't have enough time. I was happy that I soaked the rajma overnight.

For making sundal, it is pretty much the same with most lentils. We do have couple of varieties that you can make to add flavor. Though the simplest form of making sundal will involve seasoning with Mustard, curry leaves, coconut gratings.

Nellikai Sadam | Amla Rice | Gooseberry Rice

Rice, cooked - 1 cup

For Seasoning:

Amla / Gooseberry - 1 big
Mustard Seeds, Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves  few
Cashew nuts few
Ground nuts handful
Bengal Gram - 3/4 tsp
Green chilies - 2 medium
Red chilies - 2 medium
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder a pinch
Oil - 1 -2 tsp

How to make Nellikai Sadam

Wash and soak Rice for 15 mins. Pressure cook till done. Take 1 cup cooked rice and allow to cool.

For Seasoning:

Grate the Amla and keep it aside.

In a non stick pan, heat oil add mustard seeds, Urad dal. curry leaves, cashew nuts, ground nuts, 1 inch chopped green chilies, dry red chilies. Saute well. Add turmeric powder and salt. Combine everything together.

Then add the grated Amla, mix well and simmer for couple of minutes.

Finally add the cooked rice and toss everything together.

Usirikai Pulihora ready!

White Rajma Sundal, South Indian Style

White Rajma / Kidney beans - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp

For Seasonings:

Mustard Seeds, Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves
Fresh Coconut, grated - 2 -3 tsp
Hing a pinch
Green chilies - 2 medium

Wash and soak the Rajma overnight. Change water couple of times before pressure cooking.

Take the drained Rajma in a pressure cooker, add enough water to cover the lentil. Cover with lid and pressure cook till done. Make sure you don't overcook the lentil as it tends to get mushy. It should get done in 3 whistles.

If water is still there, you can cook it open, add salt. Cook till water is all evaporated.

For seasoning:

Heat a non stick pan with oil. add mustard seeds, Urad dal and hing. Saute well. then add the curry leaves, green chilies and add in the cooked Rajma. Combine everything well.

Simmer for few minutes, finally garnish with grated coconut.

Both the prasadams were delicious. I know Amla rice is going to be regular one from now on.

Hope you enjoyed today's post, come back tomorrow for Day 3 celebrations!

Puli Aval / Atukula Pulihora, Chana Dal Khus Khus Payasam / Senaga Pappu Gasagasala Payasam | Navratri Recipes

Happy Navarathri to all my dear readers!

Thank you for joining me in this Navaratri Celebrations.

We had been planning on making elaborate preparation for these 9 day long Navaratri Pooja. With the 10th day being Vijayadasami or Dussehra, it is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India.

In the south of India, those who follow the tradition of keeping Golu, will celebrate Navaratri by observing the different deity each day personifies. This is also an occasion when they invite womenfolks to home and offer prasadams. New dolls are added every year and kept on display. Kids who attend the golu are given gifts to make it more interesting.

We lived in a colony all my childhood, and have fond memories of visiting the neighbors and meeting friends. The prasadam made will usually be sundals made with different lentils, sometimes payasam etc. But we get back home with different sundals which makes it so very interesting as you get to compare the taste and enjoy.

As a custom, we normally have grand celebrations on Ayayuda pooja and Vijayadasami. So in 2009, We decided to celebrate these pooja all through the nine days. Since I was in town last year, I missed doing it at home. So I am very happy doing this again this year.

Pooja holidays normally coincides with the quarterly exams for kids here. But this year with so much confusion prevailing for the other boards, Konda's exams are going on now. Boys have their holidays and you can imagine how much of a masti they are having.

Coming back to the Navaratri pooja, Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses.

The first three days are for Durga, also known as Kali in order to destroy all our impurities. Neivedyam made on this day will have to be sour and spicy. So for the next three days it will be Tamarind, Lemon and Sambar Rices along with Sundals, Payasam. We can also make Ellu Sadam and Payasam on Saturday.

Second three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees inexhaustible wealth, as she is the goddess of wealth. So on these days the prasadam will be Sakkara Pongal, Ven Pongal and Thengai Sadam.

The final three days is for worshiping the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. Neivedyam for these three days can be Sundal, Payasam.

So based on what I made last time when I had a reference which said what should be made on each day of the pooja I made those neivedyam. Since I had a list, it was easy for me to just make. So this year I discussed it with couple of elders who are well versed in this and came to this conclusion. Based on what I am told, I decided to make different dishes accordingly.

For today's prasadam, hubby dear had already told me what to make and it was just as what I was told. So it was very nice that it related. He asked me to make Senega badallu Payasam / Bengal Gram Payasam and Pulihora. Amma usually makes Pesara pappu Payasam. When I asked her to tell me a new way to make, she said Athamma is the one who makes this frequently and that I should ask her. Anyway to make the story short, I decided that I should add copra and Gasa Gasa to lend a new taste.

Coming to Pulihora, I have already tried all the versions that I know of. So wanted to make with Poha / Beaten Rice for a long time. Puli Aval / Aval Puliyodharai or Atukula Pulihora as we might say in Telugu, is a famous version of Poha in Tamil Nadu. I wanted to make it the regular way but had a quick look at the first search that came up and decided that it is indeed made the same way.

So for the Navaratri Special Dishes Day 1 Prasadam, I made Atukula Pulihora, Senaga Pappu Gasagasala Payasam.

Senaga Pappu Gasagasala Payasam is a special flavoured payasam in which you add copra/ dried coconut powdered with Poppy seeds. Both these ingredients are so rich, and takes your payasam to the next level!

Though I was hoping on making different Sundals, I had to be content with these two neivedyams.

Hoping to make one sundal for prasadam for rest of the Navarati pooja, along with another special Neivedyam.

Puli Aval / Aval Puliyodharai or Atukula Pulihora

Poha / Avul - 1 cup
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Sambar powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder a pinch

For masala powder

Bengal gram - 3/4 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1/4 tsp
Methi - few seeds
Dry Red chili - 3

For Seasoning

Oil - 2 tsp
Curry leaves few
Mustard seeds, Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Cashew Nuts
Ground nuts

How to make Puli Avul

Dry roast the ingredients for the masala, and keep it to cool.

Soak the tamarind in water and extract pulp. Add sambar powder, turmeric powder and mix well.

Wash the poha couple of times, then add the tamarind water the poha and let it sit for 10 mins. It will bloat well by absorbing the tamarind water.

Heat a non stick pan with oil, season with mustard, Urad dal, ground nut, cashew nuts. Fry well. Then add the poha, mix well.

mins.

Chana Dal Khus Khus Payasam / Senaga Pappu Gasagasala Payasam

Ingredients Needed:

Bengal Gram (Senega Pappu) - 1/2 cup
Jaggary - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder

Powder to be added
Copra and Poppy Seeds, powdered - 2 tbsp

Garnishing

Cashew Nuts
Ghee

How to make Chana Dal Khus Khus Payasam

Wash and soak Bengal Gram for 10 mins. Then pressure cook with enough water to soft texture.

Melt jaggary and remove if any dirt. Add the jaggary, cardamon powder to the bengal gram and pressure cook again

Once the pressure falls down, add the boiled milk.

Powder the dried coconut and poppy seeds to a semi smooth powder. Heat the cooked dal and when it starts boiling add the powder.

In an separate pan, heat ghee, and roast the cashew nuts. Finally add to the boiling payasam

Other Festival Food

An Invitation to a virtual celebration of Navaratri Pooja

With Navaratri Pooja going to begin on the 26th of September, I would like to invite you all for a virtual celebrations. I was able to share my daily pooja and neivedyam that I made during 2009 pooja. I was not able to make it last year. I am planning to celebrate this year with you all. 

In Tamil Nadu, Golu is very famous and I remember from my childhood how festive the whole colony used to be. Every year when we visit our friends, we will be eager to see what new dolls they added to their Golu. It's even more fun when each of us are asked to sing divine songs.

Picture Source: Courtesy

Though we don't keep Golu at home, we celebrate the pooja with special poojas and visiting our friends who keep the golus. Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami are celebrated with so much enthusiasm at home.

Do join me in this celebration and check out some of the special dishes that you can make. These dishes are done as per what is supposed to be done on each day of the Navaratri Pooja.

Navratri Special Dishes

Navratri Special Day 1 ~ Brown Karamani Sundal, Ven Pongal
Navratri Special Day 2 ~ Konda Kadalai Sundal, Puliyodarai
Navratri Special Day 3 ~ Mochai Sundal, Sakkari Pongal
Navratri Special Day 4 ~ Pattani Sundal, Kadambam Rice
Navratri Special Day 5 ~ Kadambam Sundal, Thayir Sadam
Navratri Special Day 6 ~ Verkadalai Sundal, Elumichai Sadam
Navratri Special Day 7 ~ Sunnundalu, Thengai Sadam
Navratri Special Day 8 ~ Channa Dal Sundal, Pal Sadam (Kheer)
Navratri Special Day 9 ~ Moong Dal Sundal, Kalkandu Sadam


Other Festival Food

Thakkali Sambar Recipe | How to make Arachuvita Sambar / Tomato Sambar Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Series : LBS#65

I know there is no dearth of Sambar Recipes in my recipe collection, nor elsewhere in the blog world. Yet I was pleasantly surprised trying out this recipe that sounded very different. I read this recipe shared by a friend in my GDM group. I was attracted by the name Tomato Sambar. For me, there is no Sambar without tomato and hence the name was little strange. It's like saying Vengaya Sambar, when all the sambars varieties that I make, are mostly with small onions. When one says Vengaya Sambar, they mean the one made using small onions/ Shallots. I end up making with the small onion mostly all varieties. So the name is redundant.

Coming to this recipe, when I saw the measurement I realised it sure is different and calls for almost 6 whole tomatoes. Plus this is the Arachuvita Sambar method, meaning the freshly ground spices are used in this sambar. I simply love this way of making sambar, though on a regular day it's bit hard to accomplish. My kids love dosas with Sambar, though Athamma was telling me that when I made this for Saturday lunch, she was a bit concerned if the kids eat this or not. To what I know this must be their first time, tasting this way of sambar.

Another very interesting aspect was the ground curry leaves. As you all know, curry leaves are very healthy. Still to what I know, most people will simply remove from the dish. That is one reason why we make podis with Curry leaves and eat at least one mudda with Curry leaf powder.

So knowing that this recipe is going to be different, I set forth to make. I had got ripe and bright tomatoes and wanted to make the best use of it.

What is Arachuvita Sambar?
For those of you who are unaware of this technique, it's the method where spices like Dhania/ Coriander Seeds, Bengal Gram, Red Chilies are roasted and ground along with Coconut, Fenugreek seeds, just before making the sambar. Meaning the spices are freshly ground and added. This method gives an utterly delicious taste and aroma to the sambar and it's an entirely new experience if you are tasting it for the first time.

Basically years back this method was usually done. Though with the busy schedule everybody seems to have now, having a ready made Sambar powder, makes the task easy for us. Still this another method of sambar is something that's truly classic.

Going back to the basics, it helps if you have cooked dal on hand. Read How to cook Toor Dal, and proceed.
Another helpful tip will be extracting tamarind pulp. I mostly have Tamarind Extract readily available, so that my sambar gets done pretty fast.

Step by Step Picture Recipe

Ripe Tomato Sambar | Thakkali Arachuvita Sambar

Ingredients Needed:

For the Sambhar:

Ripe tomatoes - 5-6 medium sized
Toor Dal / Piegion Pea - 1 cup (pressure cooked in advance)
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp diluted in 2-3 cups of water
Salt to taste

Preparation to be made:

Pressure Cook the Tur Dal and store to use as and when required (Normally Turmeric and Hing is added at this stage)
Tamarind paste made ahead

For the ground Masala / For Arachuvita Sambar method:

Copra* / Fresh Coconut - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 10 - 15 leaves
Coriander Seeds / Dhania - 2 tsp
Bengal Gram/ Channa dal - 2 tsps
Dry Red chilies - 4 -5 medium
Oil - 1 tsp (opt)

*Copra - Dried Coconut

The spices, and the lentils are normally roasted in oil, while I dry roasted all the ingredients this time. Allow it to cool, and grind toa smooth paste with little water, just enough for the masala to move in the mixer The paste need not be very smooth, if it's semi smooth is also fine.

To Season / To temper

Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp (just about 10 of them)

How to make Arachuvita Sambar / Tomato Sambar:

Since I pressured cook dal just before making this sambar, I used the same cooker to make the samber. Else you can take a medium size vessel and proceed.

Bring the tamarind juice to a rolling boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Then add tomatoes, which are cut in 8 pieces or more, depending on the size. Continue to simmer on medium heat until cooked.

Once done, add the cooked tur dal and bring to a rolling boil again. Add more water at this stage if required.

Add the ground masala and bring to a rolling boil. 

Heat another pan with 1 tsp oil, do the seasoning with mustard, urad dal and methi.

Finally add the fresh coriander leaves and simmer for few minutes before removing from heat.

I served it with Rice and Bhindi stir fry

Ven Pongal Recipe | How to make Ven Pongal Step by Step Recipe

When it comes to a typical South Indian breakfast, Ven pongal or Pongali as we say in Telugu, features side by side to Idlis and Dosas. Now when I go to restaurants, it's a hard choice to select which one to eat, among the Pooris, Idlis, Dosas and of course this very tempting Khara Ven Pongal. So I normally order whichever one I would want to eat and hope others would order the rest so that I can taste! Athamma would invariably order this Ven pongal and I get to taste it and know that the dish tastes awesome. If you have had a prasadham from temple, you will know how well this dish is made. One can never beat the Kovil ven pongal prasadam.

With all the love and affection this dish gets at home, I have mostly followed by method of roasting the spices and then cooking it as I have shown in the first Ven pongal recipe. There are couple more methods of making a ven pongal. In my first method, I had arrived at my own recipe where I used garlic, which is not usually added. Still it always  makes it a heavenly meal.

Today's recipe is the second way of making Ven Pongal. Every time I make it, hubby dear says it's not spicy referring to the peppery taste that comes from a temple prasadam. Later I remembered our office cook who makes the most yummiest pongal, and she is your typical measurement by look and instinct person. It's extremely hard to get measurement from her as she hardly knows the count. She does everything from experience and only knows by andaz. She resorted to using this method of adding powdered pepper, saying everybody is removing the whole peppers she adds. Later while browsing through Meenashki Amma's Samathu Paaru, I read that she has listed out some four varieties of making Khara Pongal and found that she also uses similar way. I was happy that unknowingly I had been following a prescribed method.

Khara Pongal tastes great with the coarse peppercorn and ghee. Please don't go stingy on the ghee part, though I use half cooking oil also. As you might know, the Temple prasadam is always full of ghee and it's fine to include that once in a while.

Soaking Time : 10 - 15 mins
Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time - 10 mins
Method of cooking : Pressure Cooker
Cuisine : Tamil Nadu, South Indian Recipe

Khara Ven Pongal - Method 2

Ingredients Needed:

For the Pongal

Raw Rice - 1 cup
Split green gram / Moong dal / Pasiparupu* - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 & 1/2 cups**
Salt to taste


* We also refer split green gram as Split yellow Moong dal
** The amount of water depends on the rice you use, normally for Ven pongal more water is added since this dish is more of a runny types. Even after adding more water, once it's cooked if you allow it to rest, it gets to that nice soft texture.

For the Seasoning:

Ghee - 3 - 4 tsps
Cooking Oil - 2 - 3 tsps
Whole pepper corns, - 1/4 tsp (abt 10 nos), powdered coarsely
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Whole cashews - 7 , broken into tiny bits
Curry leaves few
Ginger - 1" (can be added as grated or as big chunks)

How to make Kara Ven Pongal

To make the Pongal:

Wash the rice and soak for 10 mins. Meanwhile dry roast the moong dal for 5 mins on high, when you start getting the aroma, remove, allow it to cool and add to the rice to soak. Wash again once the time is up.

Take this soaked rice and dal in a pressure cooker, measure 3 & 1/2 cups of water, add salt. Cover with lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Remove and keep aside for the pressure to release.

Tip- When you are in a hurry, you can easily remove the pressure by putting a spoon under the whistle, thereby slowly releasing the pressure. Take caution not to remove the whistle in haste, wait for the pressure to completely fall down, before opening the lid. Remember the food will be still cooking in and will burst out if you do it hastily. Please don't attempt this method if you don't know the physics.

To make the seasoning:

Coarsely powder the peppercorn, make sure you don't powder it fine. We don't want it completely powdered, it should be like how it's in the picture, even more bigger if you can't stand the pepper spice.

Heat the ghee, oil in a small pan. add the cashew bits, allow it to get roasted well, then add the whole cumin, pepper, garlic, then finally the curry leaves. Take care since the curry leaves will have water and it might splutter out.

Pour this seasoning on the cooked pongal. Mix well couple of times. At this stage, the pongal might look soggy, but when you add the seasoning and mix couple of times, you will get that typical look of that soft, well done pongal.

Cover for couple of mins for the season to steep in.

Notes:  This can be completely made with just ghee, will be more tastier. By making cashews into tiny bits, you get to mix it more and adds crunch. Green chilies can also be used if wanted.

This is mostly served with Coconut Chutney in Tamil Nadu along with either Vegetable Samber or Vengaya Sambar. I mostly make Groundnut Chutney.

Since this is my neivedhyam on Saturday, we offer this to God and no tasting is done before that.

Other Pongal Recipes

Savory Pongals
Ven Pongal Recipe 1
Whole Green Moong Dal Rice Porridge | Pasipayar Ven Pongal | Pesalu Pulagam

Sweet Pongals
Bellamannam / Sakkarai Pongal
Broken Wheat Sweet Porridge | Samba Godhuma Sakkara Pongal
Sakara Pongal with Sprouted Whole Moong Dal

Side Dish for Chapathi / Roti / Poori / Pulka

For easy side dish for Chapati / Roti / Poori / Pulka, try out these following recipes.

North Indian Specials

With Aloo / Potato

Aloo Chole Masala
Aloo Masala ~ Baby Potato curry
Aloo Matar Masala
Aloo Mutter Masala
Aloo Palak Recipe | Potato Spinach Masala
Aloo Paneer Tikki Pasanda
Aloo Peas Makhani
Aloo Rajma Masala
Aloo Subzi with Curds and Kasuri Methi
Aloo Tamatar Sabzi with Kasturi Methi
Aloo Tamatar Subji ~ Curried Potato in Tomato Curry - LBS#38
Aloo Tamatar with Kitchen King Masala | Potato Curry North Indian Style
Aloor Dom ~ Bengali Special
Batatyacha Rassa ~ Potato Gravy
Dum Aloo
Jeera Aloo Sabji
Microwave Khoya Aloo Matar Recipe | Potato Peas curry with Khova
Aloo Paneer Kofta Curry

With Chickpea / Channa 

Amritsari Channe
Channa Masala
Kala Chana Aloo Sabzi ~ Black Chickpea Curry
Punjabi Chhole

Dal Makhani
Dum ki Arbi ~ Fried Arbi in Dum Gravy

With Cauliflower / Gobi

Cauliflower Sabji -LBS#23
Gobi Aloo Subji  - LBS#42
Gobi Masala ~ Cauliflower Gravy

With Paneer/ Indian Cottage Cheese

Butter Paneer Masala
Low Calorie No Butter Paneer Butter Masala
Mutter Paneer Masala
Palak Paneer
Paneer and Channa Dal Curry
Paneer Butter Masala
Paneer Makhani
Paneer Makhanwala
Kadai Paneer
Aloo Paneer Kofta Curry

Rajasthani Gatta Curry (Shahi Gatte)

Rajma Masala
Rajma n Baby Aloo Masala
Rajma Masala Recipe LBS # 59

South Indian Specials

Andhra Recipes

Bendakaya Bajji ~ Okra Bajji
Brinjal curry-LBS#22
Gummadikaya Gojju
Kakara kaya gojju ~ Bitter Gourd Medium Sauté-lbs30
Munnakaya Gojju - LBS#2
Urllagadda gojju - LBS#3

Tamil Nadu Recipes

Paneer Chettinad Curry
Potatoes with Tamarind LBS#33
Vada Curry Recipe 1 ~ Tamil Nadu Special
Vada Curry - Version 2 | Vadai Curry

Kofta Curries!

Peas Kofta Curry
Plantain or Raw Banana Kofta Curry
Plantain Paneer Kofta Curry
Microwave Carrot Kofta Curry Recipe
Aloo Paneer Kofta Curry

Korma, Kurma and Kura!

Andra Recipes / Kura

Allasandallu Kura- LBS#11
Baby Aloo Masala ~ Chinna Urlagadda Masala Kura
Beerakaya Kura ~ Ridge gourd Curry
Bottle Gourd Curry ~ Sorakaya Kura
Cluster Beans Curry ~ Mattikayala Kura
Guthi Vankai
Hyacinth Bean, Bringal Mango Curry ~ Annumulu Vankaya Mamidikaya pulusu
Kakarakaya Kura ~ Bitter Gourd Curry
Mattikaya Vankaya Pullagura ~ Cluster Beans, Brinjal Curry
Pithiki Pappu Kura ~ Hyacinth Bean Curry
Tindora Curry ~ Gutti Dondakaya Masala Kura
Vankai Uurulagadda Kura

Korma Recipes / Kurma Recipes

Anapakaya Vankaya Masala Kura Recipe ~ Hyacinth Bean, Brinjal in a spicy gravy
Beetroot Kurma
Bendakaya Kurma ~ Okra Gravy
Bitter Gourd Kurma
Butter Beans Kurma
Capsicum Curry ~ Bell Peppers Gravy
Carrot Kurma
Channa Kurma  - LBS#41
Chettinadu Sorakkai Kurma ~ Bottle Gourd curry in Chettinad Style
Fresh Black Eyed Beans Kurma
Jackfruit Seeds n Potato Kurma
Mixed Vegetable Kurma
Potato Kurma
Raw Gauva Curry
Soya Bean Kurma
Spicy Peas n Potato Kurma
Tomato Kurma
Tomatoes in Coconut gravy-LBS#19
Urlagadda Anapakayalla Kurma ~ Aloo Mochi Curry
Microwave Mixed Vegetable Kurma with Step by Step pictures
Cashew Nut Pakoda Curry
Mixed Vegetable Kurma

Microwave Easy Cooking 4th Anniversary Potluck Party Round Up

Thank you to those who joined me in celebrating the Microwave Easy Cooking Event's 4th Anniversary.

This round up was to be up by the 1st of September, had to be delayed because of the Ganesh Chaturthi Special Recipes. However it's been worth the wait with 25 interesting dishes you can make for a party.

First we have the starters with Jayasree Satish's Bitter gourd chips

As a special request because of the anniversary entry, I am making a concession of accepting two entries that also used convection mode during cooking. After all as I said, we get microwave convection oven in India, so it's advantages to have these recipes also

Khushi's Paneer Tikka Kebab
Khushi's Tandoori chicken

And a Sweet Corn Chat from me

Then we have the essential extras for any table. As always I would love to thank Priya Suresh for being a super cook when it comes to cooking in microwave. She has sent in so many lovely dishes.

Priya Suresh's Couscous Salad

Priya Suresh's Instant Garlic & Green Chilly Pickle

Priya Suresh's Mixed Herbs & Garlic Spice Powder

And finally Idli / Dosa Molaga Podi from me.

Now comes the side dishes to brighten the party.

 Priya Suresh's Jhinge Posto

 Rajani'sPotato Dry Curry

Finally a Pudina Chutney from me.

Now comes two awesome gravies to enjoy!

PJ's Aloo Muttar

Priya Suresh's Methi Gobi

Then an array of Rice dishes to please the palette

Priya Suresh's Prawn Briyani

 Priya Suresh's Jeera,Corn & Capsicum Rice

And a delicious Tomato Rice / Pulao from me.

And finally the hightlight of any party, the detectable desserts! You 9 different ones to choose from..

Akheela's Indian milk fudge

Jayasree Satish's Thiratti Pal

Priya Yallapantula's Easy Eggless Microwave Brownie

Rajani's Chocolate Pudding

Tadkapasta's Peanut Butter Burfi

Usha Rao's Carrot Halwa

Usha Rao's Kalakand

Vani Hegde's Microwave Peda

Vidhya Arvind's Pumpkin Kheer

**************************************************

I hope I have not missed out anybody, thank you again everybody for being the part of the celebrations.

Do join us for Tea with Tea Time Snacks prepared in Microwave, guest hosted by Nutan 

Check the round up Anniversary Potluck Party 2011